HB2261 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB103 27772 LNS 54150 b

103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
HB2261

Introduced 2/14/2023, by Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

See Index

Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Provides that it is a civil rights violation, because of immigration status, to: refuse to engage in a real estate transaction or otherwise make unavailable or deny real property; alter the terms, conditions, or privileges of a real estate transaction; refuse to receive or fail to transmit a bona fide offer in a real estate transaction from a person; refuse to negotiate a real estate transaction with a person; represent to a person that real property is not available for inspection, sale, rental, or lease, fail to bring a property listing to a person's attention, or refuse to permit a person to inspect real property; make, print, circulate, post, mail, publish, or cause such actions, any notice, statement, advertisement, or sign, use a form of application for a real estate transaction, or make a record or inquiry in connection with a prospective real estate transaction that indicates any preference, limitation, or discrimination based on immigration status, or an intention to make such preference, limitation, or discrimination; offer, solicit, accept, use, or retain a listing of real property with knowledge that discrimination based on immigration status in a real estate transaction is intended; refuse to engage in loan modification services; alter the terms, conditions, or privileges of loan modification services; discriminate in making loan modification services available; solicit for sale, lease, listing, or purchase any residential real estate on the grounds of loss of value due to the present or prospective entry into the vicinity of the property involved of any person of any particular immigration status; distribute or cause to be distributed, written material or statements designed to induce any owner of residential real estate to sell or lease property because of any present or prospective changes in the immigration status of residents in the vicinity of the property involved; or intentionally create alarm by transmitting communications to induce any owner of residential real estate to sell or lease property because of any present or prospective entry into the vicinity of the property involved of any person of any particular immigration status. Provides that nothing prohibits inquiry into or the use of immigration status if the inquiry or use is otherwise required by federal law. Makes other changes.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning human rights.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Illinois Human Rights Act is amended by changing Sections 3-101, 3-102, 3-102.10, 3-103, 3-104.1, and 3-106 as follows:

(775 ILCS 5/3-101) (from Ch. 68, par. 3-101)

Sec. 3-101. Definitions. The following definitions are applicable strictly in the context of this Article:

(A) Real Property. "Real property" includes buildings, structures, real estate, lands, tenements, leaseholds, interests in real estate cooperatives, condominiums, and hereditaments, corporeal and incorporeal, or any interest therein.

(B) Real Estate Transaction. "Real estate transaction" includes the sale, exchange, rental or lease of real property. "Real estate transaction" also includes the brokering or appraising of residential real property and the making or purchasing of loans or providing other financial assistance:

(1) for purchasing, constructing, improving, repairing or maintaining a dwelling; or

(2) secured by residential real estate.

(C) Housing Accommodations. "Housing accommodation" includes any improved or unimproved real property, or part thereof, which is used or occupied, or is intended, arranged or designed to be used or occupied, as the home or residence of one or more individuals.

(D) Real Estate Broker or Salesman. "Real estate broker or salesman" means a person, whether licensed or not, who, for or with the expectation of receiving a consideration, lists, sells, purchases, exchanges, rents, or leases real property, or who negotiates or attempts to negotiate any of these activities, or who holds oneself himself or herself out as engaged in these.

(E) Familial Status. "Familial status" means one or more individuals (who have not attained the age of 18 years) being domiciled with:

(1) a parent or person having legal custody of such individual or individuals; or

(2) the designee of such parent or other person having such custody, with the written permission of such parent or other person.

The protections afforded by this Article against discrimination on the basis of familial status apply to any person who is pregnant or is in the process of securing legal custody of any individual who has not attained the age of 18 years.

(F) Conciliation. "Conciliation" means the attempted resolution of issues raised by a charge, or by the investigation of such charge, through informal negotiations involving the aggrieved party, the respondent and the Department.

(G) Conciliation Agreement. "Conciliation agreement" means a written agreement setting forth the resolution of the issues in conciliation.

(H) Covered Multifamily Dwellings. As used in Section 3-102.1, "covered multifamily dwellings" means:

(1) buildings consisting of 4 or more units if such buildings have one or more elevators; and

(2) ground floor units in other buildings consisting of 4 or more units.

(I) Immigration Status. "Immigration status" means a person's actual or perceived citizenship or immigration status.

(Source: P.A. 86-820; 86-910; 86-1028.)

(775 ILCS 5/3-102) (from Ch. 68, par. 3-102)

Sec. 3-102. Civil rights violations; real estate transactions and other prohibited acts. It is a civil rights violation for an owner or any other person engaging in a real estate transaction, or for a real estate broker or salesman, because of unlawful discrimination, familial status, immigration status, source of income, or an arrest record, as defined under subsection (B-5) of Section 1-103, to:

(A) Transactions. Transaction. Refuse to engage in a real estate transaction with a person or otherwise make unavailable or deny real property to discriminate in making available such a transaction;

(B) Terms. Alter the terms, conditions or privileges of a real estate transaction or in the furnishing of facilities or services in connection therewith;

(C) Offers. Offer. Refuse to receive or to fail to transmit a bona fide offer to engage in a real estate transaction from a person;

(D) Negotiation. Refuse to negotiate for a real estate transaction with a person;

(E) Representations. Represent to a person that real property is not available for inspection, sale, rental, or lease when in fact it is so available, or to fail to bring a property listing to the person's his or her attention, or to refuse to permit the person him or her to inspect real property;

(F) Publication of Intent. Make, print, circulate, post, mail, publish or cause to be made, printed, circulated, posted, mailed, or published any notice, statement, advertisement or sign, or use a form of application for a real estate transaction, or make a record or inquiry in connection with a prospective real estate transaction, that indicates any preference, limitation, or discrimination based on unlawful discrimination or unlawful discrimination based on familial status, immigration status, source of income, or an arrest record, or an intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination;

(G) Listings. Offer, solicit, accept, use or retain a listing of real property with knowledge that unlawful discrimination or discrimination on the basis of familial status, immigration status, source of income, or an arrest record in a real estate transaction is intended.

(Source: P.A. 101-565, eff. 1-1-20; 102-896, eff. 1-1-23.)

(775 ILCS 5/3-102.10)

Sec. 3-102.10. Third-party loan modification service provider.

(A) It is a civil rights violation for a third-party loan modification service provider, because of unlawful discrimination, familial status, immigration status, source of income, or an arrest record, to:

(1) refuse to engage in loan modification services;

(2) alter the terms, conditions, or privileges of such services; or

(3) discriminate in making such services available, including, but not limited to, by making a statement, advertisement, representation, inquiry, listing, offer, or solicitation that indicates a preference or the intention to make such a preference in making such services available.

(B) For purposes of this Section, "third-party loan modification service provider" means a person or entity, whether licensed or not, who, for or with the expectation of receiving consideration, provides assistance or services to a loan borrower to obtain a modification to a term of an existing real estate loan or to obtain foreclosure relief. "Third-party loan modification service provider" does not include lenders, brokers or appraisers of mortgage loans, or the servicers, subsidiaries, affiliates, or agents of the lender.

(Source: P.A. 102-362, eff. 1-1-22.)

(775 ILCS 5/3-103) (from Ch. 68, par. 3-103)

Sec. 3-103. Blockbusting. It is a civil rights violation for any person to:

(A) Solicitation. Solicit for sale, lease, listing or purchase any residential real estate within this State, on the grounds of loss of value due to the present or prospective entry into the vicinity of the property involved of any person or persons of any particular race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, familial status, immigration status, source of income, or disability.

(B) Statements. Distribute or cause to be distributed, written material or statements designed to induce any owner of residential real estate in this State to sell or lease the owner's his or her property because of any present or prospective changes in the race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, familial status, immigration status, source of income, or disability of residents in the vicinity of the property involved.

(C) Creating Alarm. Intentionally create alarm, among residents of any community, by transmitting communications in any manner, including a telephone call whether or not conversation thereby ensues, with a design to induce any owner of residential real estate in this state to sell or lease the owner's his or her property because of any present or prospective entry into the vicinity of the property involved of any person or persons of any particular race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, familial status, immigration status, source of income, or disability.

(Source: P.A. 102-896, eff. 1-1-23.)

(775 ILCS 5/3-104.1) (from Ch. 68, par. 3-104.1)

Sec. 3-104.1. Refusal to sell or rent because a person has a guide, hearing or support dog. It is a civil rights violation for the owner or agent of any housing accommodation to:

(A) refuse to sell or rent after the making of a bona fide bonafide offer, or to refuse to negotiate for the sale or rental of, or otherwise make unavailable or deny property to any blind or hearing impaired person or person with a physical disability because the blind or hearing impaired person or person with a physical disability he has a guide, hearing, or support dog; or

(B) discriminate against any blind or hearing impaired person or person with a physical disability in the terms, conditions, or privileges of sale or rental property, or in the provision of services or facilities in connection therewith, because the blind or hearing impaired person or person with a physical disability he has a guide, hearing, or support dog; or

(C) require, because a blind or hearing impaired person or person with a physical disability has a guide, hearing, or support dog, an extra charge in a lease, rental agreement, or contract of purchase or sale, other than for actual damage done to the premises by the dog.

(Source: P.A. 99-143, eff. 7-27-15.)

(775 ILCS 5/3-106) (from Ch. 68, par. 3-106)

Sec. 3-106. Exemptions. Nothing contained in Section 3-102 shall prohibit:

(A) Private Sales of Single Family Homes.

(1) Any sale of a single family home by its owner so long as the following criteria are met:

(a) The owner does not own or have a beneficial interest in more than 3 three single family homes at the time of the sale;

(b) The owner or a member of the owner's his or her family was the last current resident of the home;

(c) The home is sold without the use in any manner of the sales or rental facilities or services of any real estate broker or salesman, or of any employee or agent of any real estate broker or salesman;

(d) The home is sold without the publication, posting or mailing, after notice, of any advertisement or written notice in violation of paragraph (F) of Section 3-102.

(2) This exemption does not apply to paragraph (F) of Section 3-102.

(B) Apartments. Rental of a housing accommodation in a building which contains housing accommodations for not more than 4 families living independently of each other, if the owner resides in one of the housing accommodations. This exemption does not apply to paragraph (F) of Section 3-102.

(C) Private Rooms. Rental of a room or rooms in a private home by an owner if the owner he or she or a member of the owner's his or her family resides therein or, while absent for a period of not more than 12 twelve months, if the owner he or she or a member of the owner's his or her family intends to return to reside therein. This exemption does not apply to paragraph (F) of Section 3-102.

(D) Reasonable local, State, or Federal restrictions regarding the maximum number of occupants permitted to occupy a dwelling.

(E) Religious Organizations. A religious organization, association, or society, or any nonprofit institution or organization operated, supervised or controlled by or in conjunction with a religious organization, association, or society, from limiting the sale, rental or occupancy of a dwelling which it owns or operates for other than a commercial purpose to persons of the same religion, or from giving preference to such persons, unless membership in such religion is restricted on account of race, color, or national origin.

(F) Sex. Restricting the rental of rooms in a housing accommodation to persons of one sex.

(G) Persons Convicted of Drug-Related Offenses. Conduct against a person because such person has been convicted by any court of competent jurisdiction of the illegal manufacture or distribution of a controlled substance as defined in Section 102 of the federal Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802).

(H) Persons engaged in the business of furnishing appraisals of real property from taking into consideration factors other than those based on unlawful discrimination or familial status or source of income in furnishing appraisals.

(H-1) The owner of an owner-occupied residential building with 4 or fewer units (including the unit in which the owner resides) from making decisions regarding whether to rent to a person based upon that person's sexual orientation.

(I) Housing for Older Persons. No provision in this Article regarding familial status shall apply with respect to housing for older persons.

(1) As used in this Section, "housing for older persons" means housing:

(a) provided under any State or Federal program that the Department determines is specifically designed and operated to assist elderly persons (as defined in the State or Federal program); or

(b) intended for, and solely occupied by, persons 62 years of age or older; or

(c) intended and operated for occupancy by persons 55 years of age or older and:

(i) at least 80% of the occupied units are occupied by at least one person who is 55 years of age or older;

(ii) the housing facility or community publishes and adheres to policies and procedures that demonstrate the intent required under this subdivision (c); and

(iii) the housing facility or community complies with rules adopted by the Department for verification of occupancy, which shall:

(aa) provide for verification by reliable surveys and affidavits; and

(bb) include examples of the types of policies and procedures relevant to a determination of compliance with the requirement of clause (ii).

These surveys and affidavits shall be admissible in administrative and judicial proceedings for the purposes of such verification.

(2) Housing shall not fail to meet the requirements for housing for older persons by reason of:

(a) persons residing in such housing as of the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1989 who do not meet the age requirements of subsections (1)(b) or (c); provided, that new occupants of such housing meet the age requirements of subsections (1)(b) or (c) of this subsection; or

(b) unoccupied units; provided, that such units are reserved for occupancy by persons who meet the age requirements of subsections (1)(b) or (c) of this subsection.

(3)(a) A person shall not be held personally liable for monetary damages for a violation of this Article if the person reasonably relied, in good faith, on the application of the exemption under this subsection (I) relating to housing for older persons.

(b) For the purposes of this item (3), a person may show good faith reliance on the application of the exemption only by showing that:

(i) the person has no actual knowledge that the facility or community is not, or will not be, eligible for the exemption; and

(ii) the facility or community has stated formally, in writing, that the facility or community complies with the requirements for the exemption.

(J) Child Sex Offender Refusal to Rent. Refusal of a child sex offender who owns and resides at residential real estate to rent any residential unit within the same building in which the child sex offender he or she resides to a person who is the parent or guardian of a child or children under 18 years of age.

(K) Arrest Records. Inquiry into or the use of an arrest record if the inquiry or use is otherwise authorized by State or federal law.

(L) Financial Institutions. A financial institution as defined in Article 4 from considering source of income in a real estate transaction in compliance with State or federal law.

(M) Immigration Status. Inquiry into or the use of immigration status if the inquiry or use is otherwise required by federal law.

(Source: P.A. 101-565, eff. 1-1-20; 102-896, eff. 1-1-23.)